biological approach

Question 1

what is the biological approach?

Answer 1

argues that humans are biological beings, their behaviour should be explained as a result of biological structures and processes
biological structures include the hormonal and nervous systems as well as neurochemistry, genetics, and evolution are aspects that are thought to influence human behaviour

Question 2

assumptions of the biological approach

Answer 2

• everything psychological is at first biological
• it investigates how biological structures and processes within the body impacts on behaviour
• human behaviour has a physiological cause which may be genetically or environmentally altered
• psychologists should study the brain, nervous system, and other biological systems
• the mind lives in the brain

Question 3

what is the endocrine system?

Answer 3

a body-wide system of glands which releases hormones

Question 4

how does the endocrine system influence behaviour?

Answer 4

during fight-or-flight, the brain signals the adrenal gland to release adrenaline which travels through the bloodstream to enhance blood flow to the brain and muscles and decreases blood flow to the digestive organs and skin - this prioritises quick thinking, attention and reflexes over digestion and reduces potential blood loss from less critical areas
also hormones have long-term effects on body and behaviour e.g. sex hormones develop gender-specific features and testosterone is associated with increased aggression

Question 5

how does the brain influence behaviour?

Answer 5

the brain is the centre of all conscious and unconscious thought
localisation of function is the idea that specific brain areas are responsible for certain functions
brain stem - core functions e.g. breathing and heart rate
cerebellum - muscle movement and balance
cerebrum - 2 hemispheres with 4 lobes each
corpus callosum - nerve fibres that join 2 hemispheres
occipital lobe - visual info
temporal - auditory info
parietal - sensory info
frontal - decision making
limbic system - emotional centre of the brain
amygdala - emotions
hypothalamus - produces hormones and is regulatory centre for homeostasis e.g. temp
pituitary gland - stores and releases hormones for bodily functions e.g. FSH and ADH
hippocampus - memory

Question 6

how does neurochemistry influence behaviour?

Answer 6

neurotransmitters play an important role in influencing behaviour
serotonin - well-being and happiness
dopamine - pleasure - levels can be affected by substances like cocaine
noradrenaline - attention
glutamate - learning and memory

Question 7

how does the nervous system influence behaviour?

Answer 7

neurones do not touch but there is a synaptic cleft between them where synapse occurs
synapse - when the electrical signal of an action potential converts into a chemical signal to get from one neurone to the other where it is converted back again

Question 8

how do genes influence behaviour?

Answer 8

genes influence how cells form and function and how components of the body are made
e.g. the SERT gene influences serotonin transport and is associated with the development of OCD resulting in compulsions

Question 9

what are genotypes and phenotypes?

Answer 9

genotypes - the genetic does in the DNA for characteristics
phenotypes - the physical expression of the genotype
biological psychologists argue that there are genotypes for behaviours and phenotype is the expression of the behaviour

Question 10

how do psychologists study genetic inheritance of behaviour?

Answer 10

use concordance rates (probability that a person will have a disorder if a relative does)
high concordance rates among close relatives suggest a genetic influence

Question 11

explain the diathesis-stress model in relation to genetic inheritance and mental health conditions?

Answer 11

inheriting a genetic vulnerability (genotype) is a diathesis and the stressor that triggers the disorder includes childhood neglect, traumatic event or adult drug use so without stressors, the individual can experience normal mental health

Question 12

explain Darwin’s theory of natural selection

Answer 12

argues that organisms with traits that enhance survival and reproduction are more likely to pass on advantageous characteristics to their offspring and overtime these adaptive traits become more common

Question 13

how does evolution influence behaviour?

Answer 13

evolutionary psychologists suggest evolution can be used to explain behaviour as they believe that inherited, innate behaviours provide survival advantages
e.g. male aggression was beneficial in early society for protection, hunting and competition
the more aggressive males were the more likely it was to reproduce leading to aggressive traits being passed on
so the reason for modern males displaying higher aggression that females may be due to inheriting ancestral traits

Question 14

strengths of the biological approach

Answer 14

+ biological theories are backed up by a range of research studies e.g. case study of Tan, Soomro’s meta-analysis, twin studies,
+ diathesis-stress model explains biological and environmental factors that can be applied to mental health and aggression = suggests we inherit a genetic vulnerability which can be triggered by a stressor
+ practical applications in developing drug therapies for mental health conditions like schizophrenia, OCD and depression - SSRIs reduce serotonin reuptake and target specific neurochemical processes - leads to better functions and more fulfilling lives
+ scientific due to use of advanced tools like fMRIs, genetic analysis and direct measurements of hormones and neurotransmitters - highly controlled studies provide more objective data than self-report or inferences

Question 15

limitations of the biological approach

Answer 15

• biological determinism - argues criminal behaviour is due to a ‘criminal gene’ which could challenge legal principles of responsibility - suggests mental health issues are solely due to biology could imply that individuals have no control over their conditions potentially leading to reliance of drugs like antidepressants

Question 16

research study for the biological approach: the brain

Answer 16

case study of Tan who had difficulty with speech production, only being able to say Tan
a post-mortem revealed brain damage to Broca’s area
modern replicable and objective fMRI brain activation studies show Broca’s area is active when neurotypical brains produce language
research confirms role of brain structures in producing behaviour like speech production

Question 17

research study for the biological approach - practical applications

Answer 17

development of drug therapies like SSRIs are as a result of the biological approach
SSRIs used to treat depression and OCD by targeting only serotonin and preventing its reabsorption into the presynaptic neuron enhancing its activity in the synaptic cleft - influences behaviour by improving mood

Question 18

research study for the biological approach: neurochemistry

Answer 18

meta-analysis by Soomro combined data from 17 studies involving over 3000 PPs
found that SSRIs significantly educed OCD symptoms compared to placebos
this confirms the effectiveness of SSRIs as a drug therapy and also supports idea that neurochemistry plays a crucial role in influencing behaviour

Question 19

research study for the biological approach: twin studies

Answer 19

general population has a 2% prevalence rate for OCD
first degree relatives of people with OCD have a 10% concordance rate
dizygotic twins have a 31% rate
monozygotic twins have a 68% rate
higher rates in close family suggests that genes influence behaviour